Places Explored Blog

China Trip - Metro, Masala & Material

October 2016 | With Samir Dadia, Rupesh Shah & Siddharth Khajuria

I had the chance to explore China — a trip that turned out to be a crazy mix of learning, laughter, and unexpected adventure. We covered Guangzhou, Foshan, and Shenzhen.

I stayed at none other than the oh-so-luxurious Swissôtel Foshan — picture this: Desi king chilling in a high-rise, sipping green tea (not quite cutting chai), with city views and construction dreams.

Swissotel Foshan

Swissôtel Foshan, China

Who Was There?


I traveled with Samir Dadia, Rupesh Shah, and Siddharth Khajuria. Samir and Rupesh, both directors in the real estate space, had a mission: to source hardware material for their upcoming real estate projects. Siddharth and I got the golden ticket — invited along to learn the ropes, absorb the knowledge, and explore the massive potential of the Chinese market.

Since real estate is something I’m deeply passionate about, this trip gave me not just exposure, but a little hope that maybe, just maybe, I might be considered for something bigger in the future.

😄 Fun Side: A Bit of Chaos and Culture Shock


Let’s just say, China was a mix of ultra-modern cityscapes and unexpected moments that cracked me up — or totally shocked me.

  • The Massage: Chinese ladies approaching with “massage?” offers on every street corner had me sprinting like a school kid late for assembly. No kidding, I literally ran!
  • Leather Drama: We visited a vendor selling stylish bags… until I found out they were made of cow leather. As a strict vegetarian, I couldn’t handle it — I lost my cool and told him off. That’s one experience I won’t forget anytime soon.
  • Language Gaps = Pure Comedy: Trying to communicate with locals turned into a live comedy show. Between Google Translate, hand gestures, and random guesses — it was a riot.

🏙️ Mind-Blowing Infrastructure

China’s cities are a real estate enthusiast’s dream and a civil engineer’s playground.

  • Multi-layered Urban Planning: Underground metro networks, sprawling malls, and multi-level basements blew my mind.
  • Vertical Living: Hundreds of skyscrapers dominate the skyline, each one a testament to China's architectural ambition.
  • Speed + Scale: The speed of construction and the quality of infrastructure left us in awe. Everything was on a different level — efficient, functional, and futuristic.

🎬 Highlight of the Trip: Immigration Interrogation


No travel story is complete without some drama, right?
The real twist came when Siddharth and I were detained by immigration officials for about 2-3 hours. And to make it even more surreal — we were seated with a bunch of Pakistanis and Bangladeshis, all of us being questioned.

“How much money do you have?”

“Who are you meeting?”

“Why are you here?”

 We had no clear answers, and zero preparation. It felt like a scene straight out of the movie New York — confusing, intimidating, and a bit cinematic in retrospect.